Asian ladybug invasion

Wed, 11/15/2017 - 2:00amadmin

It’s Asian ladybug season in Ozark County and elsewhere in the Midwest. Residents are reporting large numbers of the small beetles that are invading homes and other structures. A Missouri University Extention web page (http://extension.missouri.edu/p/g7369) says the beetles “do not sting, carry human diseases, or bite” but they “become a serious nuisance when large numbers of them are seen crawling on the walls and ceilings inside a home.” According to the site, the beetles aren’t known to “feed on wood, clothing or human food” and they don’t reproduce indoors during the winter months. Vacuuming them is recommended over squashing them to avoid their “mildly offensive odor” and the possibility that they might stain walls and fabrics. The best way to ward off Asian ladybug invasion is to “prevent their entry into the structure” wherever possible. The bug was introduced in agricultural areas in the late 1970s “because of its great value as a biological control agent. ... During the growing season, ... both the larval and adult stages feed on aphids, mealybugs, scale and other soft-bodied insects infesting many important crops and plants.” The Asian ladybug was first found in Missouri in 1993, the Extension web page says, adding that “healthy adults can live up to three years.”

Gainesville senior Annie Noah on Dec. 8 signed a letter of intent to play basketball for College of the Ozarks. Seated, from left: Annie’s mother Joyce Noah, Annie, and her father, Dan Noah. Back: College of the Ozarks Lady Bobcats head basketball coach Becky Vest and Gainesville High School head basketball coach Morris Jenkins. Photo by Karla Smith.